International Project Management Association (IPMA) Practice Exam

In terms of project management, scope creep refers to:

1. Delays in project timelines

2. Uncontrolled changes or continuous growth in project scope

3. Increased costs due to scope changes

4. Lack of stakeholder engagement

The correct answer is: Uncontrolled changes or continuous growth in project scope

Scope creep refers to the phenomenon that occurs when the scope of a project expands beyond its original parameters without appropriate adjustments to resources, timelines, or budget. This can happen due to uncontrolled changes or continuous growth in project scope, which often results from new requirements being added after the project has already commenced. The essence of scope creep lies in the lack of proper change management processes to evaluate and control these additions. As stakeholders request more features or deliverables, often under the assumption that they will be easy to implement, the project manager may struggle to maintain focus on the initial objectives. This results in a gradual expansion of the project’s scope that can jeopardize the project’s success by stretching resources thin and complicating deliverables. The other options, while they can be consequences or related aspects of scope creep, do not define it directly. Delays in project timelines can occur due to scope creep, but they are a symptom rather than a definition. Increased costs can also arise from uncontrolled changes, yet this is also a consequence rather than an explanation of the phenomenon. Lack of stakeholder engagement might contribute to scope creep if the stakeholders are not aligned and communicating effectively, but it does not encapsulate the idea of scope expansion in itself. Thus, the definition that best